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When call came, they stepped up

Fitchburg, Leominster firefighters honored for service above and beyond

By Jack Minch, jminch@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
12/19/2012 07:17:43 PM EST

Fitchburg Deputy Fire Chief David Rousseau went to Slattery's Restaurant with the other members of his shift to celebrate receiving the Medal of Valor during the 23rd annual Firefighter of the Year award ceremony in Worcester Tuesday.

They pulled up tables to form a large square, took off their dress ties and enjoyed the camaraderie.

The award was pleasant, but an unexpected part of the job, said Leominster Fire Lt. Jeff Nickel.

"I'm not one that likes to go up front and get recognized for stuff like that," Nickel said. "We just did our job and didn't really think about getting an award for it, and I was shocked when the chief called and said we were getting an award for it."

Fitchburg Fire Chief Kevin Roy said he is proud of Rousseau and all his firefighters.

The department's firefighters have been recognized many times for their work, Roy said. There are already 50 names on a plaque in the fire station and Rousseau's name will be added this week.

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"I'm kind of humbled by it," Rousseau said during lunch with other members of his group.

Rousseau said he was honored that most of his shift attended the ceremony to see him recognized for rushing into a burning apartment building while he was off duty to rescue tenants on June 5.

"I was driving up Daniels Street and saw smoke above the buildings," Rousseau said. "I went around the corner and saw a building almost fully involved."

On-duty firefighters had not arrived yet so then-Capt. Rousseau ran up the stairs to make sure all the residents were out and met Leominster contractor Bob Eyles, who had also run in to help.

Isles had been told there was a baby in an apartment, but the crib was empty so Isles went outside while Rousseau headed to the fourth floor to look for more residents.

He found a couple in a fourth-floor apartment and the man seemed disoriented.

"I just took him by the arm and led him to the porch and we walked downstairs," Rousseau recalled.

The building was burning too ferociously to go back up the stairs to look for another trapped resident so Rousseau grabbed a ladder with other firefighters who had arrived to put up against the house.

A high-tension power line broke free from above and Rousseau warned the other firefighters carrying to ladder to drop it.

The wire hit Fitchburg firefighter Scott Peralta and burned his head, but the injuries could have been worse without the warning.

Leominster firefighters got a report of four canoeists who fell into Notown Reservoir about 1:59 a.m. on May 12.

"The Massachusetts State Police had come upon a disoriented man on the side of Route 2 who was soaking wet with scrapes and cuts," Coan said.

"The man stated that he and several friends had been in a canoe on the reservoir when it had capsized and that several people were still clinging to the canoe in the water."

Firefighters tramped through thick woods and underbrush to reach the reservoir.

Two victims were on the shoreline, including one in cardiac arrest and two more still out in the water.

Leominster firefighters James Cameron and Matthew Burke put on dry suits to go in the water and rescue the two still clinging to the canoe.

"We have the two members that went in the water, they had their dry suits but they always leak, so they were wet, they were cold," Nickel said.

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